Factsheet - EU ratification of the Istanbul Convention: A vital opportunity to end violence against women and girls

Posted on 10 November 2016 |

[Brussels,10 November 2016] The European Coalition to end violence against women and girls has launched a factsheet in support of the EU signature and ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, the Istanbul Convention.

More than 25 European civil society networks (see full list below) have joined forces in this European Coalition to End violence against women and girls (VAWG), convened by the European Women’s Lobby, in light of the recent policy developments at EU level regarding violence against women. Concretely, the European Commission proposal for the signature and ratification of the Istanbul Convention. The European Commission proposal is currently being analysed and discussed in the Council working party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens’ Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP). Within the European Parliament, a joint report between the LIBE and the FEMM Committees is being drafted by two rapporteurs Ms Corazza Bildt (EPP, Sweden, FEMM Committee) and Ms Revault D’Allonnes Bonnefoy (S&D, France, LIBE Committee). Once adopted by the Plenary, this report will give the European Parliament consenting to the ratification of the Istanbul Convention by the EU .

In this specific context, the European Coalition to end VAWG factsheet calls on different key EU decision makers to act in order to ensure that the EU signs and concludes (ratify) the Istanbul Convention in 2017, in the most meaningful way and within the broadest scope of EU competence as possible.

Factsheet European Coalition to End VAWG

Furthermore, the European Coalition to End VAWG has sent a letter to the European Commission with our demands regarding the proposal to mark 2017 as year of focused actions against violence against women, which will be announced on 25 November this year. In this regard, the European Coalition calls the Commission to ensure that this initiative is part of a broad and comprehensive Strategy to end all forms of violence against women.Download the letter here.

European Coalition to End Violence against women:

AGE Platform Europe;

Amnesty International;

BPW-Europe Business and Professional Women;

COFACE Families Europe;

End FGM- European Network;

European Disability Forum (EDF);

European Forum of Muslim women (EFOMW);

European Network against Racism (ENAR);

European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW);

European Network for the Work with perpetrators of Domestic Violence

European Network on Religion and Belief (ENORB);

European Roma Information Office (ERIO);

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC);

European Women’s Lobby (EWL);

European YWCA;

European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA);

International Alliance for Women (IAW);

International Planned Parenthood Federation- European Region

ILGA-Europe - The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association;

Mental Health Europe (MHE);

Men Engage Alliance;

PICUM - the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants;